BHUBANESWAR: Anticipating an escalation in Maoist violence as elections draw close, police chiefs of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh met here on Friday to chalk out a plan of action to intensify operations in the bordering areas of the two States which continue to be Naxal hot-bed.
Close on the heels of the cold-blooded murder of Araku MLA Kidari Sarveswara Rao and former legislator Siveri Soma at Dumbriguda Mandal in Visakhapatnam on September 23, the meeting between Odisha DGP Dr RP Sharma and his Andhra counterpart RP Thakur assumes significance.
Since the movement of political leaders will increase with the polls getting closer, the meeting discussed strategies for increased operational activities.
However, it would require creation of more road network on both sides of the border and the two DGPs discussed how infrastructure can be given a push in the coming days.“In the recent months, there have been developments in bordering regions, including the incident in Visakhapatnam, following which issues like enhancing coordination, cooperation and sharing of intelligence between the police forces of the two states were discussed,” Dr Sharma said declining to divulge the details.
Sources said the meeting also discussed plans to go after top Maoist leaders including Rama Krishna who continues to be elusive. Actionable intelligence from both the State Police forces would be used to zero in on RK who leads the Andhra Odisha Special Border Zonal Committee.
Joint operations in the bordering areas will soon be launched in this connection, the sources added.
Andhra Pradesh DGP Thakur said the coordination meeting was fruitful adding, police forces of both the states get a lot of information which must be converted into actionable intelligence.
“We had excellent coordination earlier also and joint operations are still going on. However, we wanted to have more systematic approach for future and in that direction first meeting at the DGP level was held. Every month, coordination meeting at the ground level will also be held,” Thakur said.
Thakur said priority areas would be discussed with respective State Governments as well as the Centre. If need be, demand for deployment of more forces would be placed before the Centre.
Top police officers of both the States also participated in the meeting.
Rebels issue ‘death warrant’ to four in Mathili
MALKANGIRI: A Maoist banner issuing ‘death warrants’ to four persons alleging loot of their money surfaced in Baladiaguda village under Mathili police limits in the district on Friday. The banner, written in Odia by the Maoists, was spotted by some villagers on a tree in the morning. The Maoists named Adu Golari, Ramnath Nayak (teacher), Sunadhar Bhumian and Desu in the banner stating that the four have looted the money of their outfit and announced death sentence for them. Meanwhile, police reached the spot and seized the Maoist banner.